Budget Cut May Doom Folk Festival

December 25, 2001|By Bob Mahlburg Tallahassee Bureau

Tallahassee — It has played host to the Bellamy Brothers, fiddle great Vassar Clements and country stars such as Billy Dean and John Anderson, but a 49-year tradition of Florida folklore and music could be coming to an end.

On the eve of the 50th anniversary of one of Florida's oldest and most cherished summer events, state officials have pulled the plug on the Florida Folk Festival -- the victim of a last-minute cut that saved the state $36,000 out of a $48 billion budget.

The festival draws 10,000 to 20,000 people each Memorial Day weekend to a state park on the banks of Suwannee River to munch on pumpkin bread, celebrate old-time traditions and listen to bluegrass, Appalachian, Cuban or Cajun music. Last year's festival included dancing and dulcimer workshops, craft displays and "how to play the kazoo" classes for children.

"It's kind of a shock, to say the least, that they would drop it right before the 50th anniversary," said Jane Hewitt of Sarasota, a board member of Friends of Florida Folk. "It's a cultural thing that I think we need right now, especially when everything else in the world seems to be falling apart."

The Florida Division of Historical Resources, one of seven under Secretary of State Katherine Harris, has produced the festival since 1979.

But a terse notice on the secretary of state's Web site announces that, "Beginning in 2002, this agency will no longer administer the festival. Please check this page after Jan. 2, 2002 for more information." The festival's former phone number now leads to a "not in service" recording.

The festival's state funding was cut in the waning hours of a special session of the Florida Legislature, where lawmakers struggled to slash state spending by more than $1 billion.

The Folk Festival cut saved $36,000 -- half a year's worth of salary for two state workers who helped manage the festival along with other events.

Harris "vigorously supports" the Florida Folk Festival, said David Host, a spokesman for the secretary of state. Host said Harris "reluctantly agreed" to cut the staff only because the festival has volunteers and because another state agency would be able to take over the festival.

But it's not that simple.

The festival is held each year at a state park operated by the state Department of Environmental Protection. State parks officials say they're facing their own staffing cutbacks and haven't committed to manage or pay for the festival.

"It's still in the discussion stages even whether to take it over," Recreation and Parks spokesman Wayne Stevens said. "I'd say the festival's future is still in doubt."

Taking over the festival would seem a natural fit for the parks agency, he said, noting that thousands of visitors already are drawn to the Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center State Park for the Stephen Foster museum, for camping and for civil war reenactments. But times are tight, he said.

"We, like most state agencies, are trying to encourage public-private enterprises and not hire more staff," Stevens said. "It's a lot of work."

Fearing the worst, groups such as Friends of Florida Folk have begun lobbying the governor and other state officials to save the festival.

"We're all writing letters encouraging them to help the parks department to take it over," Hewitt said. "A week ago they started talking about whether they'll take it over. I'm hoping it's true."

The festival is held amid the pines and soft river breezes at the park in White Springs, near the intersection of Interstates 10 and 75, about halfway between Tallahassee and Jacksonville.

"The great thing about the festival is it's more than a music festival. It's a celebration of the state's culture," said musician Del Suggs, a Tallahassee-based singer-songwriter who has performed at the festival since the late 1980s and attended since the late 1970s.

Festivalgoers can discover long-forgotten crafts, food and storytellers. But music is great, too, Suggs said, with styles that run the gamut "from cracker to Cubano to Cajun."

"In the '60s, Gram Parsons played there, way before he went to Harvard and California," where he linked up with the Flying Burrito Brothers and Emmylou Harris, Suggs said.

"It's particularly troublesome that the festival would not be funded on the eve of the 50th anniversary and at a time when we need to pull together and realize we're all part of the same country," he said.

"It's the one event in Florida that pulls us all together."

Bob Mahlburg can be reached at bmahlburg@orlandosentinel.com or 850-222-5564.